THE proposal by the new coalition government that would require 55 per cent of MPs to vote in favour of a dissolution of parliament is an affront to democracy.

A government either enjoys the confidence of the House of Commons or it does not.

If it does not there should be a general election so that the people can choose their government.

On the basis of the present proposals a government can lose the confidence of the majority of the House of Commons yet can continue unhindered unless a further 32 MPs support dissolution. In all of our long parliamentary history, and all of the crises we have previously faced, a simple majority has sufficed, there is absolutely no reason to change that now.

The ‘Liberal’ Democrat MPs in the coalition should hang their heads in shame.

They abandoned the ‘liberal’ element of their name about 20 years ago, after days in Government they have lost the right to use the title ‘Democrat’ as well.